San Diego County CA—It was a morning of anticipation as Cox Charities hosted its annual Cox Scholars celebration at Coasterra Restaurant on June 6, 2019. The high school seniors knew they were going to receive a scholarship to help defray college costs, but they didn’t know how much. With more than 150 guests in attendance for the celebration – educators, the scholars and their families, nonprofit partners, community leaders, and Cox employees – the college-bound students learned they’d each receive $5,000 to support their education.
This year, in celebration of its 20th anniversary, Cox Charities awarded a total of $100,000 in scholarships to 20 students, the largest amount ever awarded in scholarships by the foundation. Cox Charities is the the philanthropic arm of Cox Communications and is funded by employee donations, matched by Cox, and overseen by an advisory board consisting of employees who volunteer their time. The scholarship increase is just one of Cox Charities’ “20 Acts of Kindness” for this year’s anniversary in the markets it serves as previously announced earlier this year, going above and beyond the community support efforts they commit to annually.
When Cox Charities was established in San Diego in 1999, a scholarship program was created to help local youth in their quest for a higher education, particularly those who stayed focused on their education despite facing adversity in their young lives; previous scholarship recipients have faced losing a parent, fighting a life-threatening illness, or growing up in poverty. The company’s founder, James M. Cox, was a former school teacher and he left a legacy of supporting education.
Through Cox Charities and the company match, Cox employees in San Diego have awarded $1.6 million in scholarships to more than 650 students.
“Our scholarship program is very important to our employees and has always been a big part of why Cox Charities exists,” said Chanelle Hawken, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs. “This year, Cox Charities celebrates is 20th anniversary and 20 years of employees giving back to the community, which makes these scholarships even more special.”
Funded by employee payroll donations that are matched by the company, Cox Charities provides support to communities in Cox Communications’ service area by awarding scholarships to high school seniors and grants to nonprofit organizations that support youth and families. A diverse volunteer advisory board of Cox employees oversees the foundation and its giving programs.
The Cox Scholars program is open to graduating high school seniors who live in a Cox service area and meet various academic and community service criteria. For more information on the Cox Scholars program, visit www.coxcharitiesca.org.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve six million homes and businesses across 18 states. We’re dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that makes each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.